


A Moment

by Baroness_Blixen



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Episode: S03e16 Apocrypha, F/M, Ficlet, X-Files OctoberFicFest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-23 06:50:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8318041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroness_Blixen/pseuds/Baroness_Blixen
Summary: “Scully, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you look terrible." Mulder wants Scully to get some rest.





	

“Scully, please don’t take this the wrong way,” she immediately seizes up as he says it despite the gentle tone in his voice and his hands on her shoulders, “but you look terrible.”

“Thank you, Mulder.” She shrugs his hands off. Sometimes this office seems too small. She feels his eyes on her wherever she wanders and safe for running out, there’s no way she can get away from him here.

“When was the last time you ate something? When did you last sleep?” Scully pretends to look at a file on his desk.

“Scully?” Softly, he touches her chin, lifts it up. She doesn’t want to look at him now, afraid she might reveal more than she wants to.

“I’m fine, Mulder. Really.” To prove her point, she meets his insistent gaze. She can’t fool him, though. Not today.

“You’re not. Come on.” He tugs at her hand and she freezes.

“Where are we going?”

“My place. You need to rest.”

“Shouldn’t I be telling you that?” She asks pointing at the healing wound on his forehead. She’s not the one who was in a hospital bed what seems like mere hours ago.

“You did tell me and now it’s your turn. Come on.”

Mulder ushers Scully into his apartment and it is only then that she wonders why he didn’t just take her home. Mulder sheds his coat in a fluid motion as Scully just watches him. She can’t find the words to ask him why she’s here.

“Tea, Scully?”

“Sure.” She answers uncertainly. She drags herself over to the couch, her bones heavy in her body. Her stomach tightens before it grumbles softly. She’s beyond feeling hungry. There’s a reason she never answered Mulder’s earlier question; she doesn’t remember when she last ate something. With both Skinner and Mulder in the hospital, with her sister’s killer so close she can feel her fingertips tingle with morbid excitement, there had been no time.

“Uhm, this is all I have.” Mulder returns and grins shyly at her when he hands her a sandwich.

“Thanks.” She is not going to ask if he made it or if it’s store bought. Mulder usually doesn’t have food at home, but she also knows he would never feed her anything that was past its expiration date. She bites into it, relishes the strong taste of the cheese.

“Oh, Mulder.” She moans.

“That good, huh?” She nods and finds him watching her with an amused smile. “I’m glad. Listen, Scully, I’m going to meet the Gunmen and-”

“What about me?” Scully interrupts him with her mouth full of delicious sandwich.

“You’re going to stay right here and rest.”

“Mulder, I don’t need rest, I need to-” Mulder puts a finger on her lips and she quiets.

“You need to rest. Just for an hour or two. Scully, I don’t want you to collapse or get hurt because you’re too tired to do your job.” She wants to remind him that she’s fine, that she can take care of herself, but his finger remains on her lips. Warm and insistent. For a brief moment she wonders if his mouth would feel like that too.

“So you’re going to stay here. Just lie down, take a nap or something.” She rolls her eyes at him. “Humor me, all right?” Finally, she nods. His finger gently traces her bottom lip before it’s gone. Scully feels a ridiculous sense of loss.  
“I’ll call you as soon as I know something.” Again, Scully nods. She remembers the sandwich and takes another bite. Chewing slowly, she watches Mulder put on his coat, check for his keys, his wallet and of course his gun. It’s all strangely domestic, Scully thinks, as he turns to her again.

“I’ll call you, all right?” The blow on his head must have been something if he’s that worried about her. Most of the time he is so blinded by his quest that she’s lucky if he thinks of her in a fleeting instant.

“I’ll be fine, Mulder.” She assures him and this time it’s him who nods. For a moment, nothing happens. Mulder’s hand are buried in his coat pocket, Scully holds the half eaten sandwich, waiting. For what, though, she is not sure. Then, in two quick strides, Mulder is by her side, crouches before her on the couch. She can see the cut on his temple and she lifts her hand to touch it, just to check. She’s a doctor, after all. But he catches her by the wrist. He kisses her pulse without taking his eyes off her eyes. Then he leans forward and kisses her forehead. His warm lips linger on her skin for a moment and her eyes flutter shut.

Just as quickly the moment is over; she feels Mulder’s absence heavily as soon as she opens her eyes. He’s already gone. Quickly, she finishes the sandwich and lets her body take the reins. She grabs the blanket from the end of the couch and covers herself. Her eyes drift shut again easily surrounded by the smell of Mulder emanating from his blanket and his couch. With his fish singing her a lullaby she falls into a restful slumber.

When Pendrell calls her to tell her to come to the office, she feels reenergized. As she leaves his apartment, Scully makes a mental note to thank Mulder for this moment of blissful peace. But now, now she has a job to do and a world to save.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for OctoberficFest. I re-watched "Apocrypha" yesterday and I just had to write about it. Despite the fact that I don't really care about the episode.


End file.
